We often discuss Heavensward on Rhythm Encounter, and our former RPGFan Music Overlord Stephen Meyerink commonly uses the word “cohesive” to describe this album. Regardless of whether or not Uematsu and Soken worked hand-in-hand across the album, the specific places that Soken chose to evoke either of these themes could only have happened if he was deeply involved with the rest of the Final Fantasy XIV team, in particular the story and lore teams. These two songs are the backbone of this album, and provide the base for - or are entwined with - several pieces of music across these 60 tracks. “Dragonsong” shines in part thanks to the gorgeous vocal work by Susan Calloway, returning to FFXIV after providing us with A Realm Reborn’s key vocal song, “Answers.” (A song I have discussed at length in the past.) Soken was responsible for the intro song, “Heavensward,” featuring a mixture of lyrics in English and Dravanian (the dragons’ language) that are deeply symbolic of the expansion’s backstory: the thousand-year Dragonsong War that has been taking place between Ishgard and Dravania. “Dragonsong” tells the story of Heavensward and Ishgard’s history, through lyrics that are only going to make sense once you’ve witnessed the expansion’s story. What I know is that Uematsu composed “Dragonsong,” Heavensward’s key vocal track. I want to say that Uematsu and Soken are a formidable team, though I’m not sure how much they directly worked with one another. I don’t know the dynamics behind the scenes of this album. Thankfully, that answer is right here, in the Heavensward OST. One could ask then, what would happen if Soken and Uematsu were to both work on an album? What musical euphoria would result? There aren’t many composers that can take over for a legend, but Soken proves his talents again and again. If you read my intimidatingly long A Realm Reborn OST review, you know that I have nothing but immense praise for Soken’s work on that album and its followup from 2015, Before the Fall: Final Fantasy XIV. The result was that ARR was mostly Soken’s work, with some of Nobuo Uematsu’s songs from 1.0 being so good that they remained in the reworked game. And not only because the original release featured a soundtrack by the man who created the music for Final Fantasy as a whole. While these are all noteworthy titles to have worked on, taking on FFXIV must have been daunting. Prior to 2013, he composed music for 2006’s Dawn of Mana, Front Mission 5 (which sadly never saw an English release), a pair of Mario sports games, and some others.
The soundtrack to Final Fantasy XIV’s second coming, A Realm Reborn (aka 2.0), featured music largely by Masayoshi Soken. Yes, ever do our aching souls march Heavensward Yet ever do our aching souls point Heavensward
Betrayed by loyal hands, Her wrath stirred
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